Attractions in The Hague

The heart of Dutch politics and one of the oldest continuously used parliamentary buildings in the world, with parts of the complex dating to the 13th century. The inner courtyard is freely accessible and gives a genuine sense of the scale and age of the complex: the medieval Ridderzaal (Hall of Knights) at its centre is used for the annual Budget Day ceremony, when the monarch rides a golden carriage through the city to address Parliament. The parliamentary chambers are within the complex; interior guided tours run on selected days and are worthwhile for the historical detail. The Hofvijver reflecting pond immediately outside is The Hague’s most photographed view. Combine with the Mauritshuis, which is a two-minute walk.

The seat of the International Court of Justice, built between 1907 and 1913 with Carnegie Foundation funding, and one of the most magnificent buildings in the Netherlands. The exterior alone is worth a visit: neo-Gothic towers, a 100-metre clock tower and materials donated by nations across the world, including Japanese temple lanterns and Swedish granite. The free visitor centre on Carnegieplein provides a well-designed introduction to international law and the building’s history. Interior tours run on selected days and give access to the ornate courtrooms; book in advance as capacity is limited. For those working in the international legal world, seeing the ICJ building is an obvious priority. For everyone else, the exterior and visitor centre justify the detour.

The most beautiful avenue in the Netherlands: a broad, tree-lined boulevard flanked by grand 18th and 19th-century mansions, embassy residences, the Hotel des Indes (where the Serre restaurant is) and some of the finest architecture in the country. The lime trees form a complete canopy in summer. In autumn the fallen leaves cover the pavement in a way that is predictably but genuinely beautiful. The avenue hosts a prestigious antiques and arts market in summer. Simply walking its length from end to end is one of the finest urban experiences in the Netherlands. The Escher in the Palace museum is on the Lange Voorhout; BlueBlood cocktail bar is at the Mauritskade end. One of those streets that rewards a slow pace.

A medieval prison gate dating from the 15th century that served as The Hague’s prison for three centuries and is now one of the most compelling small museums in the Netherlands. The guided tour takes you through original prison cells, torture chambers and the execution chamber, with genuinely good historical context about Dutch criminal justice from the Middle Ages through to the 18th century. The most historically visceral attraction in The Hague and unusually engaging for a museum of its size. Access is by guided tour only; tours run several times daily and last around an hour. Immediately next to the Binnenhof and a natural pairing with it.

The most visited beach resort in the Netherlands and, in terms of accessibility from a major city, one of the best in Europe. The tram from The Hague centre deposits you on the beach in 20 minutes. The beach itself is long, sandy and backed by a boardwalk of beach clubs, seafood restaurants and beach bars. The Pier extends 400 metres over the North Sea with a viewing platform, bungee jump and a ferris wheel. The grand Kurhaus hotel on the seafront is one of the finest 19th-century seaside buildings in the Netherlands. In summer the beach fills quickly on warm days; weekday mornings are far more pleasant. The North Sea is cold but the atmosphere is excellent from May through September.

The quieter, more local alternative to Scheveningen on the southwestern coast of The Hague, backed by dunes rather than a boardwalk and significantly less crowded on summer weekends. Kijkduin has a small beach resort with cafes, a supermarket and beach clubs, but the overwhelming character is that of a neighbourhood beach used by local families rather than a tourist destination. The dune area behind it connects directly into Westduinpark for walking and cycling. A better choice than Scheveningen for those who want to use the beach rather than be part of a crowd. Reachable by tram from the centre in around 25 minutes.

A 300-hectare nature reserve of dunes, woodland and beach running between Scheveningen and Kijkduin, with an entirely different atmosphere from the city five minutes away. Walking or cycling through the dune landscape in early morning or at sunset is one of the genuinely memorable experiences available in The Hague, and almost entirely unknown to visitors who stick to the centre. The park contains one of the largest dune areas remaining on the South Holland coast, with marked walking routes, rare flora in season and views across the North Sea from the dune tops. Connects to the parks of the southern coast.

A genuine ancient forest on the northeastern edge of the city, with woodland paths, ponds and a completely unexpected sense of depth and age for something so close to an urban centre. The Haagse Bos has been a royal hunting ground since the 17th century and the Huis ten Bosch palace, the official residence of the Dutch king, sits within its grounds (not open to the public, but visible from the perimeter paths). Running and cycling routes through the forest are used daily by residents of the Haagse Hout and Bezuidenhout neighborhoods. A 15-minute cycle from the centre and a different world when you get there.

The working palace of King Willem-Alexander on The Hague’s most elegant shopping street. The palace itself is not open to visitors but is entirely visible from the street: the Royal Stables, the ceremonial gate and the long white facade give a clear sense of the building’s scale. The Noordeinde street surrounding it is lined with antique dealers, art galleries, high-end independent shops and some of the better restaurants in the city, including La Galleria and the newly opened EVE by Erik van Loo at Paleisstraat 2 opposite the palace entrance. One of the finest streets in the Netherlands for a slow afternoon walk, combining architecture, shopping and food.

The imposing Gothic church at the heart of The Hague, dating from the 15th century, with a tower that provides one of the best elevated views of the city. The interior is large and well-preserved, with significant stained glass and the tombs of several Dutch counts. Regular concerts and cultural events use the building throughout the year. The Grote Markt surrounding it is one of the liveliest squares in the city and the natural place for outdoor drinking on warm evenings, with De Zwarte Ruiter and Vavoom Tiki Room both on the square. Worth visiting both for the building and for the neighbourhood around it.

One of the most unusual cultural experiences in the Netherlands: a circular panoramic painting 14 metres high and 120 metres in circumference depicting the Scheveningen fishing village and beach as it appeared in 1881. Painted by Hendrik Willem Mesdag and his team in four months, it is the largest 19th-century panoramic painting in the world still in its original location. You enter through a darkened passage, emerge onto a central platform and find yourself surrounded by a seamless illusion of standing on a dune above the beach. The perspective tricks are extraordinarily effective and the painting’s quality is remarkable given its scale. One of the genuinely surprising cultural experiences in The Hague and often overlooked in favour of the major museums.

The reflecting pond in front of the Binnenhof is The Hague’s most iconic image: the medieval towers of the parliament reflected in the water, with the tower of the Mauritshuis just behind. The area within a five-minute walk of the Hofvijver constitutes one of the most concentrated cultural quarters in the Netherlands. The Mauritshuis (Vermeer, Rembrandt, Fabritius), Escher in the Palace, the Gevangenpoort prison museum, the Haags Historisch Museum and the Galerij Prins Willem V are all within easy walking distance. A half-day that starts at the Hofvijver and works outward from it covers more significant cultural ground than almost any equivalent walk in Dutch cities other than Amsterdam. See our museums guide for detail on each.

A miniature park recreating famous Dutch landmarks, cities and landscapes at 1:25 scale, operating since 1952 and consistently one of the most visited attractions in the Netherlands. The level of detail across 40,000 miniature buildings, working airports and harbours and the full Dutch rail network in miniature is genuinely impressive and the park has a quality and care to it that avoids feeling like a tourist trap. Surprisingly engaging for adults as well as children. The park is built into a gentle hillside; allow two to three hours. The park is named after George Maduro, a Dutch resistance fighter who died in Dachau in 1945. A good choice for families with children of any age visiting The Hague.

An aquarium on the Scheveningen seafront with an extensive walk-through tunnel through a large shark tank, rays, seahorses, jellyfish and North Sea species. Well suited for families and notably cheaper when booked online in advance. The location on the beachfront means it works well as a half-day combination with the beach itself: aquarium in the morning or on a rainy day, beach in the afternoon. The North Sea species section gives useful context for what you are actually swimming near when you enter the sea at Scheveningen. Book online to avoid the walk-in premium.

The Grote Markt hosts a large general market on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, with fresh produce, flowers, fish, clothing and household goods spread across the square in front of the Grote Kerk. The Friday market is the largest and best attended, drawing both local shoppers and the government crowd on their way to or from the Binnenhof. A straightforward, unpretentious experience that gives a good sense of daily life in The Hague. The surrounding bars and restaurants, particularly De Zwarte Ruiter and Vavoom Tiki Room, are natural stops before or after. The square is also the liveliest outdoor drinking area in the city on warm evenings; see our bars guide for options.